Fluid-control device



March l2, 1929. s, JgHANN 1,704,944

FLUID CONTROL DEVICE Filed Deo. 22, 1925 nfo,

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Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES S. JOHANN 0F MONTEREY PARK, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO C02 `FIREEQUIPMENT C0., OF `LOS ANGELES, CALIFOIINIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI-FORNIA.

FLUID-CONTROL DEVICE;

Application led December 22, 1925. Serial No. 77,164.

This inventionrelates to a control device, and has partlcular referenceto an electro magnetic tluid cont-rol. The device provided by thisinvention is useful lin various apparatusand for handling variousfluids. It is particularly useful as applied to fluid containers ortanks, for instance, to gas containers. I will-proceed to set forth atypical form of the invention applied to a container of gas, .forinstance, carbon dioxide gas, for allowing gas to escape from thecontainer upon closing of the control circuit. It is to be understoodthatthis particular example is not to be construed as limiting` theinvention either in its structural details or its application.

It is an object of my invention to provide 'a control device of thecharacter set` forth, which is simple, effective and reliable inloperation. p

Another object of my invention is to provide a control device of thecharacter mentioned particularly suited for use in apparatus handlinggas as a means of extinguishing res.

The various objects and features of my invention will be best and morefully understood from the following detailed .descrip-v,

tion of a typical preferred form of the invention, throughout whichdescription reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which thefigure is a vertical or longitudinal detailed sectional view of theconstruction embodying this invention showing it in operating positionon the container.

In the drawings numeral 10 designates, generally, a gas mtainer such asis commonyused to handle various gases, for instance, carbon dioxidegas. In the drawings, I have lshown theneck 11 of the container, throughwhich the gas is passed into and out of the container, provided at itsbase or inner end with a threaded part 12 of large diameter. The neck isprovided with a fitting which screw "threads into the container and hasa threaded end part 13 of small diameter and a threaded flange part 13.The threaded part 13 of the container is usually employed to recevepipes, valves, or fittings which handle the gas, while the part 12isusually employed to receivea cap applied to the container during storageor transportation.

My inventionprovides, generally, a cap 14 which' normally tightly sealsor closes 'the container, a punch 15 operable too'pen ythe cap, a spring16 for actuating the punch and electro magnetic control means 17. Theconstruction provided by my invention may be applied to suitable partsor fittings which in turn are applied to the container l0, or it may beapplied directly to the container as I have shown in the drawings.

The cap 14 is preferably applied ldirectly to the neck of the containerand may be in the form of an ordinary cap yinternallyscrew threaded tolit the threaded part 13 of the container. The end of the c-ap isprovided with an opening 19`to register with the opening inthecontainer. This opening in the cap is closed by a metal plate 2() whichis arranged in the cap to be clamped tightly between the end of the capand the end of the part 13. The metal plate 20 isI formed ofcomparatively soft metal and. is comparatively thin, so that it can beeasily penetrated by the punch hereinafter described. Further, inpractice the plate 20 may be made of such material and proportions as toact as a safety device to fail and allow ythe gas to escape from thecontainer' in theevent that excessive pressure develops in thecontainer.

The punch 15 is adapted to operate through the opening 19 in the cap topenetrate the plate 20 and thereby open the container to allow gas toescape therefrom. The punch is preferably pointed or shaped to readilypenetrate the plate. 'For instance, as I have shown inthe drawings, itis in the form of a round metal part having its outer end truncated atan angle to form a point. The punch may be mounted in various manners inpropercooperative relation with the cap. For instance, it may be mountedon a stem .25 su1tably supported in a body 26. In the ple-' ferred formof construction `the body is adapted to be attached tothe neck of thecontainer to extend upwardly therefrom to carry the stein in properalignment with'the opening in the cap. The body may be connected to theneck of .the container in various ways. It may be designed to be'appliedto the screw threaded part 12, or it may be applied to the screw`threaded part- 131" as I have shown in the drawings. The stem 25 isslidablycarried in spaced parts or partitions'28 and 29 in the body. Thestemis carried by the par I titions sovthatl the puncn la at its lowerend is the stem 25 and between the partition 29 and a flange 30 on thestem. The parts are proportioned so that the spring normally tends tomove the stem downwardly with the desired pressure. In practice I mayprovide means for cushioning the operation caused by the spring 16, andfor this purpose I may provide a compression spring 31 in the bodybetweenthe flange 30 and lower partition 28. This spring 31 isproportioned to stop or cushion the action of the spring 16 after thestem has been moved to completely actuate the punch.

Thecontrol means 17 includes,.generally, a releasable catch deviceoperable to releasably hold the stem 25 in an up position with thespring 16 under compression and an electromagnetic means for releasingthe catch device. The catch device may include two pivoted arms 40adapted to engage under a head 41 on the upper end of the stem. The armsmay b'e carried by the partition 29 to extend upwardly and inwardly toengage under the headc41. The outer or upper ends 42'of the arms extendabove the head to be engaged by the core 43 of the electromagneticdevice. Each arm-40 preferably carries a roller 44 that engages underthe head 41 to reduce theresistance to operation. The arms may bearranged at diametrically opposite points with reference to the head 41,and are urged inwardly by springs 40a.

The electromagnetic device for releasing the levers includes the core 43and a winding 48 which surrounds the core. The winding is carried in theupper part of the body 26 and lthe necessary electrical connections are.i made with the winding through binding posts 50 in the body at pointsimmediately above the winding. The core 43 is normally yieldingly heldin-the upper positionl shown in the drawings, by a sprin 52 arrangedbetween the upper end of t ewinding and a i head 54 on the core. Thespring 52 is comparatively light so that the core is readily moveddownward when current is passed through the winding. The upper end ofthe body is closed by a cap and in practice an extension 61 is providedon the upper end of thecore to extend upwardly .through the cap toproject above the cap so that the core can be depressed or moveddownwardly, manually when desired.

In operation the device is applied to a container 10 inthe manner shownin the drawings, and is norm-ally set ready for operation with the arms40 enga ed under the head 41 so that the stem 25 1s eld in an upposition with the spring 16 under compression. When the necessarycurrent is passed through the Winding 48 by a suitable electric control,for instance a remote relay thermostat or the like, the Core 43 is moveddownward so that it engages the ends of the arms 42 causinff them toswing in the direction indicated iy the arrows A in the drawings. Thisreleases the head 41 allowing the stem 25 to be moved downward andthereby move the punch 15 into engagement with the plate 2O so that theplate is penetrated allowing the fluid to escape from the container. Thefluid may be conducted from the device in any suitable manner. Forinstance a suitable connection may be provided in the lower part of thebody as I have shown in the drawings.

Having described only a typical preferred Lform of my invention I. donot wish to limit myself to thel specific details set forth', but wishtoreserve to myself any changes or ,variations that may appear to thoseskilled yin the art or fall within the scope of the fol- .lowing claims:

and positioning the punch in alignment with the sealing plate, meansconstantly acting tov move the punch to perforate the sealing plate,means normally restraining such movement of the kpunch, and a solenoidadapted when energized to render the said restraining means inoperative,the core of the solenoid being manually movable4 to render saidrestraining means inoperative independently of.

the solenoid being energized.

2. The combination with a container or tank for fluid under presslirehaving an outlet closed by a sealing plate, of a punch adapted toperforate said sealing plate', a guide for thepunch attached to thecontainer and positioning the punch in alignment with the sealing plate,means constantly acting to move the punch to perforate the sealingplate,

means normally restraining such movement of the punch, and a solenoid,the core ofwhich 1s adapted to render saidrestrammg means inoperativewhen the solenoid is energized,

said core normally projecting from the body of the solenoid. at onelend, whereby it may be manually moved to render the punch restrainingmeans inoperative when the magnet is deenergized.

3. The combination with 'a container o1` tank for fluid under pressure`having an outlet closed by a sealing plate, of a casing secured to thevcontainer, a punch adapted to perforate theoutlet closure platearrange-d within said casing, a spring in the casing acting to force thepunch through the sealing plate, means in the casingl for restrainingmovement of the punch by the spring,

solenoid 1n the casing adapte to render said and a de-energized.

4. The 'combination with a container or tank for fluid under pressurehaving an outlet closed by a sealing plate, of a punch adapted toperforate the outlet closure plate, means attached to the container forguiding movement ofthe punch, a. spring acting to move\ the punch toperforate the sealing plate, a latch normally engaging the stem of thepunch to prevent movement-thereof by the spring and adapted to bemanually moved to inoperative position, and a solenoid having a corewhich when the solenoid is energized will eilect movement of the latchto inop-I erative position.

5. The herein described attachment for aP container or tank for fluidunder pressure having an outlet closed by a sealing plate, comprising acasing adaptednto be attached to such a container in connnunication withthe outlet thereof, said casing having an outlet, a punch supportedWithin -the casing and adapted to perforate the outlet closure plate ofthe container to which the casing is applied, a spring Within the casingacting to move the punch to 'perforate said sealing plate, a pivotallymounted latch Within the casing normally engaging a shoulder on the stemof the punch and preventing movement thereof by the spring, a solenoidWithin the casing and having a member connected With its core wherebyWhen'the solenoid is energized the latch will be rendered inoperative torestrain movement of the punch by the spring, and means for manuallymoving said perforate mountedwithin the casing and normally enthe stemof the punch to prevent latch to inoperative positin. y y

' 6. The herein described attachment for a container or tank for fluidunder pressure having an outlet. closed by a sealing plate, comprising acasing adapted to be attached to such a container in communication withthe outlet thereof, said casing-having an outlet, apunch within ythecasing adapted to perforate the container outlet closure pla-te andhaving an elongated stem, a spring Within the casing acting to move thepunch` to said sealing plate, a latch pivotally seeing movement of thepunch by the spring, a solenoid Within the casing having its coreprovided v'vith a member adapted to move the latch to inoperativeposition when the solenoid is energized, and means exten ing to theoutside of the casing for moving t e solenoid the solenoid isdefenergii'ezed.

Y"1. The herein core to render 'the latch inoperative when d attachmentfor a let, a punch Within thecasing adapted to perforate the containeryoutlet closure plate and "having an elongated stem, a spring Within thecasing acting to move the punch to perforate said sealing plate, a latchpivotallyI mounted Within the casingand normally engaging the stern ofythe punch to prevent movement of thx punch by the spring, means adaptedto be a uated from points relative' ly remote from the casing to movethe latch to inoperative position, and manuall operable means projectingfrom the casing or moving said latch to inoperative position.

8. The combination of a container for fluid under pressure comprising abody having an internally threaded neck, a tubular fitting having a stemengaged with the thread in said neck and provided .outside of thecontainer body With an enlarged, peripherally threaded, section and asmaller, externally threaded, terminal s ection, a closure cap engagedwith the threaded outer terminal section of the fitting and providedWith an opening in alignment with the bore in said 4iitting, a sealingdisk .Within the cap extending across said opening, a casing engagedwith the peripheral thread of the enlarged section of the fitting andprovided with a iuid outlet, a punch positioned Within said casing inalignmentwith the-opening-in the cap closthe container Iitting, meansWithin the casing acting to move the punch to perforate ythe sealingdisk, restraining devicesin the casingV normally retainin the puncli inretracted position, means or rendering said restraining devicesinoperative, and means for resiliently checking movement of. the punchtoward the container.

9. The `combination of a container for fluid under pressure having anexternallythreaded outlet projecting from its body, a cap x closureengaged lWith the thread on said outlet and having an opening inalignment with the voutlet bore, a sealing disk'within the cap andextendin across said opening therein, a support attac ed te thecontainer and surrounding said outlet, `a punch guided by means on said`support and positioned in alignment with the opening in thev cap, aspring surrounding the stem of the punch and acting to impel it towardthe sealing disk,

,restraining means for holding tive punch in opposition to said spring,means for releasing said restraining devices, and a second springadapted to resiliently check movement of the punch toward the sealingdisk.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 1st day Tot December 1925.

CHARLES S.' JOHANN.

